Help: Tips for Using Backpack/Registration

Prepare Ahead

1. Look up your registration appointment time. 
The Registrar's Office sends an e-mail to you before the beginning of the registration period to inform you when registration appointments are available. After you receive this e-mail, you can look up your registration appointment in Student Center from the Wolverine Access gateway.

2. Confirm that you don't have any "holds" that could prevent you from registering. You can view holds on the Wolverine Access Student Center page.

3. Plan the classes and sections that you want ahead of time.

• On Student Center, use the Backpack/Registration or Search features.
• On the Student Center, use the Planner feature to organize the courses you would like to take by term. You can import classes from your Planner into your Backpack.
• From the Student Center, access Schedule Builder to generate and view all possible class schedule options based on the courses you select and times you are unavailable to attend classes. You can import classes from Schedule Builder into your Backpack.
• On the Registrar's Office website, use the Schedule of Classes:
  • The Online Schedule of Classes by School/College allows you to view a consolidated list of all classes by subject or browse course offerings by open sections and all sections. The full report of All Classes is available as a printable PDF file and CSV file (must be saved and opened in Excel) that can be sorted and searched. These files are updated nightly.
  • The Open Classes Report allows you to view open classes. The Document (PDF) version of the report lists all open classes by School/College. The Excel (CSV) version includes all open classes and can be sorted and searched. (Note: The file must be saved and opened in Excel to search or sort.) The report data is refreshed every 30 minutes (both PDF & CSV versions).

4. Keep track of the classes you think you'd like to take.

• Make note of the course, subject, course number, and class number, then use your Backpack to build a tentative class schedule with alternates.
• If you use Schedule Builder, you can import classes from your desired schedule into your Backpack.
• Use the Validation function to check your Backpack for enrollment errors so they can be resolved or an alternate class selected before your registration appointment begins.

5. Refer to the Wolverine Access Frequently Asked Questions for important information, including: desktop requirements, browser requirements and settings, and hours of operation.

U-M Student IT Help and Training Videos are short videos available to assist students.

Class Details

Each class has a number of important details. In Student Center these details are found on the Class Details page.

Class Numbers: Each class section is assigned a class number of up to 5 digits (e.g., 35786) that serves as the key to registration. Class numbers are found in the Schedule of Classes and in the Student Center Backpack/Registration and Class Search. Note: The class numbers used for registration change each term.

Class Components: Every class has one or more assigned components. Components are different kinds of sections (e.g., lecture, lab, discussion, recitation, or seminar). When adding a class with more than one component to your backpack, you will be prompted to select a second required component section or informed of a required auto-enroll component section.

Enrollment Restrictions: If a class has enrollment restrictions, make sure you qualify for the restrictions before adding the class to your backpack. Restrictions include: Advisory Requisites, Course/Class Requisites, Consent (permission), and Reserved Capacity (seat reserved for particular group).

Class Topics: Each section of a class can have different class topics. It is important to view the class details for each section so that you select the desired class.

Enrollment Preferences: After selecting a class section(s) to add to your backpack, the Enrollment Preferences page will display. (Note: This page can also be accessed from the backpack by clicking the class section link.) This page allows you to:

• Waitlist if class is full: Turn on this checkbox if the class you are electing is closed and you would like to be waitlisted. This option only appears when a waitlist is available for the class.
• Override Time Conflict: Turn on this checkbox if you would like to add the class, even if it conflicts with the day and time of another class already on your schedule.
• No. of credits: If a range of credit hours is available, a box appears for you to enter the number of credit hours you are selecting.
• Choose Grading Basis: If available, you can select an alternate grading basis (e.g., Pass/Fail, Audit) from the drop-down list.

Click University of Michigan - How to Waitlist a Class for a quick video.

Backpack Tips

Remember to register for classes you put in your Backpack.

• Keep in mind that your Backpack is similar to an online "shopping cart." It merely serves as a convenient holding area for your potential classes until your registration appointment arrives, at which point you must choose to register for them or not. Putting a class in your Backpack, importing it from Planner, or adding it from Schedule Builder does not register you for the class (nor does it put you on any waitlist). It does not guarantee you a space in any class. It does give you a head start on actually enrolling (registering) into the class when your appointment starts, because you have already searched for and saved the necessary class information in your Backpack. You are also able to use the Validate function to view any possible enrollment issues, giving you time to resolve the problem or find an alternate class. To register for classes in your Backpack, you must wait until your registration appointment begins and then go into your Backpack to select the class or classes you want to register for.

Make sure you are in the desired term.

• To switch to a different term, click the Change Term button and then select the desired term and career from the list displayed.

Check for any class requisites, reserved seating, or enrollment restrictions a class may have before you add it to your Backpack.

• The system allows you to add a class to your Backpack even if you do not meet the requirements for enrollment. When you attempt to register for the class from your Backpack, however, the system will prevent your enrollment if you do not meet the requirements. To avoid this, research class restrictions before you put a class in your Backpack and use the Validate function after adding the class to your Backpack to view some enrollment errors you may have overlooked. You can see information about restrictions for a specific class by viewing the Class Details or the Class Enrollment Preferences page for that class.

Put a manageable number of classes into your Backpack.

• The system will allow you to add a large number of classes to your Backpack. To save time and effort, try to find a balance between giving yourself enough options from which to choose; and keeping your list of classes short enough so that it does not overwhelm you to have to look through them all when your appointment time arrives.

Remember to LOG OUT when you finish your work.

• Always log out of Student Center and log out of the machine (especially if you are at a Campus Computing or ResComp Site) after you complete your work. To exit Student Business, click the Sign Out button in the banner at the top right corner of the screen. Then click the Log Out button at the top right corner of the Wolverine Access Gateway page to end your session.

Registration Tips

Make sure you are in the desired term and career.

• To switch to a different term, click the Change Term button and then select the desired term and career from the list displayed.

Register by selecting classes from your Backpack.

• To register for classes in your Backpack, wait until your enrollment appointment begins, then begin the registration process by selecting one or more classes from your Backpack.

  Verify the enrollment status (e.g., Open or Closed) for a class in the Class Status column of your Backpack before you attempt to register for it.

Check for any class requisites, reserved seating, or enrollment restrictions a class may have before you attempt to register for it.

• The system will allow you to add a class to your Backpack even if you do not meet the requirements for enrollment. When you attempt to register for a class with restrictions, the system will prevent your enrollment if you do not meet the requirements.

  To avoid this, research class restrictions before you attempt to register for the class. You can see information about restrictions for a specific class by viewing the Class Details or the Class Enrollment Preferences page for that class.

The system will not allow you to drop the last remaining class on your schedule.

• If you would like to disenroll from the term (drop all of your classes for the term prior to the first day of classes), contact the Registrar's Office. Notification should be in writing via email to ro.registration.questions@umich.edu, FAX (734-763-9053), or letter (Registrar's Office, 1210 LSA Bldg., 500 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109). You can also visit a Student Service Site (1207 LSA Building or B430 Pierpoint Commons).

Pay close attention to registration error messages and warning messages.

• The messages displayed by Student Center as you go through the registration process provide important information and can help you troubleshoot problems. Refer to Troubleshooting Registration Error Messages for help with understanding some of the common error messages you may receive from the system during your registration process.

Always print and review a copy of your Class Schedule when you're done with registration.

• Verify the results of your registration by printing a paper copy or saving a PDF copy of your schedule and reviewing it carefully.

  To print your class schedule in an easy-to-read format, click the My Class Schedule link on the Backpack/Registration pages, and then select the appropriate Term and Academic Career. The system displays all classes that are currently in your schedule, including those that you have waitlisted.

Refer to Student Center, the online Time Schedule, and the Registrar's Office Web site (www.ro.umich.edu/) for the most authoritative information related to registration.

Remember to LOG OUT when you finish your work.

• Always log out of Student Center and log out of the machine (especially if you are at a Campus Computing or ResComp Site) after you complete your registration.

  To exit Student Business, click the Sign Out button in the banner at the top right corner of the screen. Then click the Log Out button at the top right corner of the Wolverine Access Gateway page to end your session.